End Game: Epilogue and Alternate Epilogue
by hatondog
Summary: Jo and Zane continue their reunion after the Astraeus mission ends in End Game and come to an understanding. Version 1 is an optimistic "pretty please Eureka writers?" one. The other is the pessimistic "what if they go this way instead?" one. Thoughts?
1. Chapter 1

End Game (Epilogue)

Jo paced outside the GD infirmary door, anxiously awaiting Zane's release. After allowing them time together, Allison had finally insisted that Zane allow the medical team to examine him and treat his injuries. Crew members had been streaming from the infirmary ever since, most into the waiting arms of friends and family. Jo greeted them warmly but distractedly as they passed. Eventually, only those who were still unconscious and Zane remained inside.

Finally, the door opened and Zane stepped out. His head was bandaged, and a blue-black bruise colored his forehead, but he seemed otherwise intact. Allison followed. "He has a slight concussion," she said. Turning to Zane, she continued, "I'd prefer that you stay the night for observation. It wouldn't be wise for you to be alone tonight."

Allison's eyes slid briefly to Jo. Zane looked at her uncertainly, but said nothing. Neither did Jo. Instead, she reached for Zane's hand and pulled him toward her.

"He won't be alone, Allison. I promise." Allison flashed a quick grin, then nodded. "All right, then. He's free to go." Jo and Zane stood, eyes locked together. Realizing that she'd become superfluous, Allison returned to the infirmary.

"Your place," said Jo. It wasn't a question. She turned, still holding Zane's hand tightly.

Stepping into the foyer of Zane's townhouse, Jo felt unusually shy. Despite the intensity of their emotional connection over the past few days, the goodbye they'd separated with before the launch sat between them like a tangible being. While not exactly awkward, their drive from GD had been very quiet.

"Jo…" Zane said softly. "Do you still…," he paused, searching for the right words. "There were things you needed to think about. Is that…do you still need to do that?" He looked down, frustrated at his lack of eloquence.

She nodded slowly. "I quit," she said. Zane looked up questioningly. "GD—I took a leave of absence. I was going to take some time away from here while you were gone. To think—to make some decisions. About what I want from life. What I _need_."

"And who?" She shook her head. "No, that I already know." Her voice was soft, but firm.

"Sorry if I'm slow on the uptake here, Jo, but I _do_ have a concussion, so I have to ask. Yes or no?" When she looked blankly at him, he rephrased the question. "Do you want…something…with me? Us? Now?"

Jo moved forward until the distance between them was paper-thin. "Let me show you what I want right now." Eyes locked on his, she pulled the T-shirt she'd been wearing since returning to Eureka over her head. His eyes darkened. She reached for the T shirt he'd been given in the infirmary and pushed it up as far as she could reach. Too short to pull it over his head, she dropped the hem. Her hands moved down his chest instead, tracing the sharp definitions of muscle down to where they disappeared into the waistband of his pants. He sucked in air.

"I need you, Zane. _Now,_" she said, her tone a combination of command and pleading. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. "Now," he answered.

Carrying her to his bedroom, Zane realized that clothes left behind from his pre-launch packing were scattered everywhere. With an apologetic glance, he set Jo onto her feet. One yank removed the bedspread and the mess on it from the bed. When he turned back, she was stepping out of her jeans. Straightening, her sense of shyness returned. Jo resisted the urge to cover herself as Zane stared, motionless.

Finally, he moved to untie his sweatpants and Jo stepped forward. She pushed her fingers under the waistband, letting them linger before gently pushing him back onto the mattress. The pants dropped to the ground as he went, and Jo quickly added her bra to the pile.

Zane's expression became serious as he gazed at her. "Two trips to space, two views of the Earth," he said hoarsely. "Two visions most men would kill to see once, let alone twice. And they were nothing—_nothing_—as incredible as what I'm looking at now."

Stepping to the side of the bed, Jo laid down, pressing her body along the length of Zane's. She gently touched the handprint-shaped bruises along his arms, wanting to know what had happened on Astraeus. For now, though, she just craved his presence, warm and alive. She rested her hand on his chest and watched it rise and fall with his breath. "I know you don't believe," she whispered. "But I prayed for you to come home. Even when I wasn't sure if I would come back again, I needed to know you would. That you were safe."

With a soft groan, Zane captured her lips. As he made to roll on top of her, she pushed back, pressing her body over his instead. Hungrily, hands slid over skin and through hair, lips moved from place to place. Reaching between them, Jo marveled at the silky strength of Zane's skin before lowering herself onto him.

Neither moved for a moment, savoring the flood of sensations flowing through their bodies. Zane lifted his hands, pressing them against Jo's face. "I missed this…I missed you, Jo. So much…" He gasped as she set a rhythm. "Are you ok?" she asked, realizing belatedly that intense physical activity might not be the best way to handle a concussion. "Never better," he growled, flipping her onto her back.

As their urgency increased, waves of release mixed with relief broke through Jo. Forcing her eyes open, she watched Zane's face. His expression bordered on pain, but she knew it came from a different source. Stroking his shoulders, she pulled him to her, mouth resting against his ear. "I love you," she murmured and wrapped her legs more tightly around him. His body tensed until, with a moan, he finally stilled. She continued to hold him, lost in the sensation of his weight on her.

Pushing himself up onto his forearms, Zane looked into her eyes. "I love you too, Jo-Jo." He rested his head against her shoulder. After they'd caught their breath, he spoke again, this time without raising his head. "So, where do we go from here?"

When she didn't answer, he rolled off her, onto his back. "Please tell me this conversation doesn't go downhill," he spoke at the ceiling. "After nearly dying up there, I really don't want to keep dancing around like this. Life seems a whole lot shorter than it used to."

"I think," Jo began hesitantly. "That I need to finish what I started when I left Eureka, before the launch. But not in the same way."

"Meaning?" asked Zane.

"Well, for one thing, I'm head of GD security again, and I don't think a long leave of absence would be appropriate at this point. So, it's going to be a shorter trip."

"You're going away." Zane's voice was flat, his comment more a statement than question. He started to sit up. "I'm sorry, Jo, but_ I_ don't think-".

She pulled him back, clapping a hand over his mouth. "As I was saying," she said with a soft smile, "it will be a shorter trip. But not the same trip I'd planned, at least not if you come with me." Removing her hand, she pressed a kiss to his lips.

Zane looked at her for a long moment before a grin spread across his face. "Go with you," he mused. "Damn, Jo, I don't know…I just got back and there's all this stuff to do. Gotta unpack, do some laundry, clean this place up, wash my hair…". Jo laughed and punched his arm. "Jackass," she said affectionately.

Running fingers through her hair, Zane asked "Seriously, Jo. Is this what you want?"

"There are still a lot of things I don't know," she answered. "But wanting to try to make this work together—that I'm sure of. Before, maybe not, but now…I'm done wasting time too. Being away from here…it will be like a fresh start. For both of us."

He pulled her down against him. "OK, then," she felt the rumble of his voice through his chest. "One condition, though."

"Oh?" said Jo warily.

"We stay someplace with room service." She snorted in surprise. "Really—the only time I've left Eureka in 3 years has been to space, where the food sucked. And no offense, but your jail food wouldn't win any prizes either. I'd have starved to death if Vincent wasn't around. So if we're going on a road trip, I'm going to laze around while someone brings me the most expensive meal we can find. Something with those little metal covers over the plates, and white napkins, and a _huge_ dessert-". He broke off at Jo's laughter. "What?"

"We're camping." At his pout, she said, "But, just for you? I'll bring you dinner in bed. And…" her voice became seductive. "You won't need a plate. You can eat _right off of me._" Zane closed his eyes. "My dream come true—I've had _that_ fantasy since the very first time I saw you. In fact," he rolled her onto her back again. "I'm feeling pretty hungry now."

They still had a long way to go to find their way back to where they'd left off when time changed everything. But this time around, they'd be traveling together more as equals than playmates. The journey promised to be the best of their lives.

**A/N: And so it ends. For now…**


	2. Chapter 2

End Game (Alternative Epilogue)

Jo paced outside the GD infirmary door, anxiously awaiting Zane's release. After allowing them time together, Allison had finally insisted that Zane allow the medical team to examine him and treat his injuries. Crew members had been streaming from the infirmary ever since, most into the waiting arms of friends and family. Jo greeted them warmly but distractedly as they passed. Eventually, only those who were still unconscious and Zane remained inside.

Finally, the door opened and Zane stepped out. His head was bandaged, and a blue-black bruise colored his forehead, but he seemed otherwise intact. Allison followed. "He has a slight concussion," she said. Turning to Zane, she continued, "I'd prefer that you stay the night for observation. It wouldn't be wise for you to be alone tonight."

Allison's eyes slid briefly to Jo. Zane looked at her uncertainly, but said nothing. Neither did Jo. Instead, she reached for Zane's hand and pulled him toward her.

"He won't be alone, Allison. I promise." Allison flashed a quick grin, then nodded. "All right, then. He's free to go." Jo and Zane stood, eyes locked together. Realizing that she'd become superfluous, Allison returned to the infirmary.

"Your place," said Jo. It wasn't a question. She turned, still holding Zane's hand tightly.

Stepping into the foyer of Zane's townhouse, Jo felt unusually shy. Despite the intensity of their emotional connection over the past few days, the goodbye they'd separated with before the launch sat between them like a tangible being. While not exactly awkward, their drive from GD had been very quiet.

"Jo…" Zane said softly. "Do you still…," he paused, searching for the right words. "There were things you needed to think about. Is that…do you still need to do that?" He looked down, frustrated at his lack of eloquence.

She nodded slowly. "I quit," she said. Zane looked up questioningly. "GD—I took a leave of absence. I was going to take some time away from here while you were gone. To think—to make some decisions. About what I want from life. What I need."

"And who?" She shook her head. "No, that I already know." Her voice was soft, but firm.

"Sorry if I'm slow on the uptake here, Jo, but I do have a concussion, so I have to ask. Yes or no?" When she looked blankly at him, he rephrased the question. "Do you want…something…with me? Us? Now?"

Jo moved forward until the distance between them was paper-thin. "Let me show you what I want right now." Eyes locked on his, she pulled the T-shirt she'd been wearing since returning to Eureka over her head. His eyes darkened. She reached for the T shirt he'd been given in the infirmary and pushed it up as far as she could reach. Too short to pull it over his head, she dropped the hem. Her hands moved down his chest instead, tracing the sharp definitions of muscle down to where they disappeared into the waistband of his pants. He sucked in air.

"I need you, Zane. Now," she said, her tone a combination of command and pleading. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. "Now," he answered.

Carrying her to his bedroom, Zane realized that clothes left behind from his pre-launch packing were scattered everywhere. With an apologetic glance, he set Jo onto her feet. One yank removed the bedspread and the mess on it from the bed. When he turned back, she was stepping out of her jeans. Straightening, her sense of shyness returned. Jo resisted the urge to cover herself as Zane stared, motionless.

Finally, he moved to untie his sweatpants and Jo stepped forward. She pushed her fingers under the waistband, letting them linger before gently pushing him back onto the mattress. The pants dropped to the ground as he went, and Jo quickly added her bra to the pile.

Zane's expression became serious as he gazed at her. "Two trips to space, two views of the Earth," he said hoarsely. "Two visions most men would kill to see once, let alone twice. And they were nothing—nothing—as incredible as what I'm looking at now."

Stepping to the side of the bed, Jo laid down, pressing her body along the length of Zane's. She gently touched the handprint-shaped bruises along his arms, wanting to know what had happened on Astraeus. For now, though, she just craved his presence, warm and alive. She rested her hand on his chest and watched it rise and fall with his breath. "I know you don't believe," she whispered. "But I prayed for you to come home. Even when I wasn't sure if I would come back again, I needed to know you would. That you were safe."

With a soft groan, Zane captured her lips. As he made to roll on top of her, she pushed back, pressing her body over his instead. Hungrily, hands slid over skin and through hair, lips moved from place to place. Reaching between them, Jo marveled at the silky strength of Zane's skin before lowering herself onto him.

Neither moved for a moment, savoring the flood of sensations flowing through their bodies. Zane lifted his hands, pressing them against Jo's face. "I missed this…I missed you, Jo. So much…" He gasped as she set a rhythm. "Are you ok?" she asked, realizing belatedly that intense physical activity might not be the best way to handle a concussion. "Never better," he growled, flipping her onto her back.

As their urgency increased, waves of release mixed with relief broke through Jo. Forcing her eyes open, she watched Zane's face. His expression bordered on pain, but she knew it came from a different source. Stroking his shoulders, she pulled him to her, mouth resting against his ear. "I love you," she murmured and wrapped her legs more tightly around him. His body tensed until, with a moan, he finally stilled. She continued to hold him, lost in the sensation of his weight on her.

Pushing himself up onto his forearms, Zane looked into her eyes. "I love you too, Jo-Jo." He rested his head against her shoulder. After they'd caught their breath, he spoke again, this time without raising his head. "So, where do we go from here?"

When she didn't answer, he rolled off her, onto his back. "Please tell me this conversation doesn't go downhill," he spoke at the ceiling. "After nearly dying up there, I really don't want to keep dancing around like this. Life seems a whole lot shorter than it used to."

"I think," Jo began hesitantly. "That I need to finish what I started when I left Eureka, before the launch."

"You're going away." Zane's voice was flat, his comment more a statement than question. He started to sit up. "I'm sorry, Jo, but I don't think-".

"Zane, stop, please," she reached for his arm. She grasped it below the bruises, but he still flinched. She took an audible breath, struggling to find the right words to help him understand. "When we were together before…," she began.

At this, he turned to her. When he'd learned of their relationship in an earlier timeline, he'd pushed Jo repeatedly to share her memories. She'd steadfastly refused, which only served to increase his curiosity. Eventually, though, he'd come to realize that avoiding the past allowed Jo to focus on him as he was and not as she remembered him. As they grew closer, he stopped asking her to discuss his former self. So her raising the subject now was both intriguing and disturbing.

"I loved you. And I'm pretty sure you loved me, since you asked me to marry you," she said with a sad smile. "It _was_ love, but it was also…" she weighed her word choice, "infatuation. It was the first time either one of us had been that committed. You said you'd lived with another woman once for a short time, but I'd never moved in with a guy before, unless you count barracks. It was wonderful, but it also wasn't quite real. Sort of like…" she paused before forcing herself to finish the thought. "Sort of like we were playing house."

Zane frowned, not sure he liked where this was going. Where that was, though, he couldn't guess.

"If things hadn't changed, if we _had _gotten married, I don't know that it would have worked. When it stopped being playtime and started being a lifetime…" She shook her head. "I don't think I really understood what that meant. Forever."

Zane broke in. "That was then, this is now. And we're not talking about getting married, Jo." His eyes slid away. "I just want _time_ together, something I thought we might never get just a few hours ago. Why does that have to be so hard?"

"Because," Jo fought to keep her voice steady. "I can't be with you unless I know who I am. I know that sounds like some kind of stupid psychobabble, but it's true. I feel like I've spent my whole life trying to meet other people's expectations, but I don't even know what I expect from myself." At Zane's confused expression, she jerked in frustration. "God, I _suck_ at this."

Pushing her hands through her hair, she tried again. "I can't explain it except to say that if we're together, I want it to be right this time. Maybe we'd never get to happily ever after, but there's no chance of that if I don't know what I want to be doing, where I want to be, and why."

Zane turned to sit at the edge of the bed, looking at nothing in particular. Jo laid down, watching his back. Neither spoke for several minutes.

"Fargo asked me to take over as head of the particle physics department." Zane spoke quietly. "If we lived, that is—guess he's got to make good on that now. So it looks like I'm staying here." He turned to Jo. "And it looks like you're not."

Despite the direction of their conversation, Jo couldn't help but smile. Heading up the most important department at GD would have been a dream come true for the old Zane, and would be a life-changing event for this one. "Zane, that's wonderful. You deserve it so much—they'll be lucky to have you doing that job."

"Thanks," he said shortly, then sighed. "I can't say I understand what you're going through, Jo. I don't. But I think I'm hearing you don't know when you'll come back. Or _if_ you'll come back." He looked questioningly at her.

Jo bit her lip. The expression on his face—a mixture of resignation and exhaustion—was heartwrenching. A voice in her head repeated, "_Tell him you'll stay. Tell him you'll stay_." But her head slowly shook back and forth. "I don't know," she admitted.

"I can't do this, Jo." Zane's voice cracked, and she looked to him in alarm. "Maybe later…but the last few days have been hell, to put it mildly. My head hurts, _everything_ hurts, and I'm beyond tired. I think you should go now."

She stiffened. Never in either timeline had they not spent the night together after making love. For Zane to tell her to go now was like being drenched in cold water. For a moment, panic rose up. The voice in her head went from chanting "_Tell him you'll stay_," to "_Take it back_." She wanted another shift in time, to roll the clock back so this discussion never took place.

Instead, she heard herself say, "Allison said you can't be alone. I promised I'd stay with you."

Zane's mouth twisted and, too late, Jo realized the irony of her words. "Fine," he said flatly. "Thanks."

He switched off the bedside lamp. Laying down onto the bed, he rolled to his side, back to Jo. Hours of unrelenting tension, fear and pain caught up to him, and Zane was asleep in minutes.

Jo lay next to him, listening to his steady breathing. Questions swirled through her head. She'd spent years of her life wanting the connection she was so close to having with this man. They loved each other—that much was apparent from the thoughts they'd shared over the past days. It was different than before—their relationship was embryonic at best, but it wasn't the product of infatuation. He was trying to meet her halfway. She didn't want or intend to be with anyone else. If she left, there was no guarantee that they'd get another chance together. Why couldn't she just stay, try to make it work?

"_Because it won't_." The thought came to her with certainty. "_If I don't figure out what I need for myself, I'll always have one foot out the door with him._"

Zane slept for 14 hours. When he woke, it was to a call from Allison, checking to see if he was all right.

Jo was gone.


End file.
